


Time

by Str4y



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Anal Sex, Angst, Animal Death, Anxiety, Bittersweet Ending, Car Accidents, Character Death, Fluff, Friendship, Heavy Angst, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Injury, Intoxication, M/M, Recreational Drug Use, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:54:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26309641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Str4y/pseuds/Str4y
Summary: Time was fleeting.Time was just a concept.Time wasn’t real.Seungmin was given the ability to travel back in time, so he figured the best use for that power was to change horrible things that have happened to his best friends. He just never realized there would be consequences for messing with time. 🕰
Relationships: Han Jisung | Han/Lee Felix, Hwang Hyunjin/Lee Minho | Lee Know, Kim Seungmin/Seo Changbin
Comments: 33
Kudos: 138





	Time

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Thank you for being here firstly, I appreciate you. This fic is very very old in that I wrote it before October of last year. I had to write out some things and alter it around and I finally got myself through it! I really care about this work so if you’re able please do kudos and comment what you thought! Again, this fic has been sitting in my drafts for an entire year so it does mean a lot to me! Don’t feel pressured at all though 🥺
> 
> On to some minor TW notes, please do not skip this if you’re triggered by character death, animal death(low key spoilers in the TW), or referenced non con. 
> 
> TW // Character death: there is character death in this fic, though I promise you only one character in the entire fic actually stays deceased. Everyone else that may or may not die in this fic ends up being fine. This is a time travel fic so things happen and change a lot! Please be careful with that! 
> 
> TW // non-permanent Animal death: I hate to spoil but there is a fictional dog that dies in this fic, ofc it’s not permanent at all and Seungmin goes back in time and saved the puppy! This is only described by the boys saying it happened, there is no description of animal death at all! 
> 
> TW // Sexual assault references: it’s never really explicitly stated what happened to Hyunjin in this fic but it’s implied that there was some sort of sexual assault that explains why he’s very anxious and uncomfortable with people touching him. Never explicitly stated what happened to him besides that. (S P O I L E R) Seungmin DOES have an encounter later in the fic when he goes back in time to stop the assault from happening to Hyunjin but nothing comes of it besides some discomfort and anxiety when he returns to his time. He's never harmed physically at all and he is okay! I just figured i should mention that these events occur just in case people don’t wish to read that! 
> 
> There is NO graphic depiction of animal death nor assault in this fic. 
> 
> Enjoy this fic and thank you so much for reading!

**————**

Seungmin’s gaze met the old clock that clicked with every turn of the hand, watching how time just  _ went  _ by. 

  
  


Time was fleeting. Time was cruel. 

  
  


“Seungmin, you’ve been staring at that clock for an hour.” 

  
  


Seungmin’s eyes left the clock, the world moving without him while he’d been entranced with the thought of  _ time _ , “hm?”

  
  


“Where do you go?” Changbin snorted, sliding into the space between Seungmin and his pillow that rested beside him, arms wiggling under Seungmin’s hoodie to pull his body close. 

  
  


Changbin held him tight, face burying into his collar. He was warm. He usually was. Changbin had always held this comforting vibe about him that had drawn Seungmin in. Well, after Changbin got away from  _ his ex _ . 

  
  


“Seungmin?”

  
  


“Yeah?” Seungmin shook his head of black hair, watching the blond on top of him closely, “sorry, I was just in space I guess.”

  
  


Changbin pulled himself further up Seungmin’s stomach, pout settled at his mouth, “you’ve been doing that a lot lately. Are you sure you’re feeling okay for this party tonight?”

  
  


_ Party.  _ He’d forgotten about the party entirely. Chan had invited most of the campus to this graduation party. Seungmin wasn’t sure if he was interested at first, but Chan was awfully convincing. 

  
  


Maybe his  _ gut _ didn’t want him to go. 

  
  


“You can seriously stay here if you want. Chan will understand if you’re not feeling well.” His fingers brushed across Seungmin’s cheek, “we could watch some tv show on netflix and eat cheap ramen.” Changbin adjusted himself at Seungmin’s lap, “we could fuck too.”

  
  


Seungmin’s lips curled into a tiny smile as he watched the blond man’s hands run up his shirt, “I promised Hyunjin and Jisung I’d go. And don’t you have to study anyways?”

  
  


“Boo! You’re leaving me hanging, Seungmin.” Changbin laughed, sliding off of Seungmin to grab his phone from Seungmin’s desk, “you inviting the roommate?”

  
  


Seungmin glanced over to the vacant bed across from them, pillows and sheets untouched. 

  
  


“I don’t think Jeongin would go anyways. He’s having some issues at home again.”

  
  


Changbin frowned, “I’m never gonna see him again, am I?”

  
  


“He hates the dorms…”

  
  


“Why? Isn’t it an escape from his house?” Changbin asked. 

  
  


Seungmin’s body tended, “his mom. He stays for her.” 

  
  


“Damn…”

  
  


Jeongin was Seungmin’s roommate. Really smart kid. A little younger than the rest of the group, but a genius nonetheless. He’d graduated with top honors and had even gotten his license and worked at a restaurant for a while in high school. Jeongin was  _ such  _ a bright kid. And he had become so close to Seungmin in high school that they’d agreed to room together in college. 

  
  


But as the semester passed, Seungmin hadn’t seen much of Jeongin. He went to classes but...he’d only spent one night in the dorm. 

  
  


At first Seungmin thought  _ he  _ was the issue, but then Jeongin told him the sad truth. He told him everything. Jeongin’s father was  _ abusive _ . He would hit his mother all the time. So it made sense for Jeongin to stay home as much as he could. He lived close enough to campus anyways. His drive wasn’t too long. Seungmin never faulted him for wanting to protect his mother. 

  
  


“Is Felix gonna show up?” Changbin asked, settled beside Seungmin at the cafeteria table their group always sat in. The biggest booth table on the corner. Minho had even carved their names into the wall. Granted he’d gotten in trouble for a few weeks, but this was  _ their  _ table. 

  
  


“Probably not. I haven’t seen him in awhile.” Seungmin responded breathlessly as he swallowed down his fries, “Not since him and Jisung…” 

  
  


“We don’t even know what happened. I’d like to see him again. And he for some reason only talks to you.” Changbin huffed, “what did we do to him?”

  
  


“He barely talks to me… I have no clue what happened there. I wish I did.” Seungmin glanced up, capturing a smiley Minho with a bag of fast food he more than likely snuck in considering outside food wasn’t allowed. 

  
  


Perks of being friends with Minho were that he disregarded the rules fairly often. 

  
  


“Where from this time?” Changbin asked as Minho settled in his spot at the booth, tilting the bag as the wrapped subs filled the table, “You’re amazing.” 

  
  


Subs. Seungmin hadn't had subs in ages. Their campus didn’t have any sub shops nearby, so Minho must’ve picked these up on the way to campus. 

  
  


“How much were these?” Changbin asked, face stuffed with bread and meat. 

  
  


“Don’t worry about it. My treat.” Minho beamed, adjusting the ball cap at his head. 

  
  


Seungmin tilted his head, noticing the pieces of orange that were sticking out from the cap, “you dyed your hair.”

  
  


“Oh? Did you rob a bank?” Changbin asked as Minho pulled the cap off to reveal the head of fiery orange hair. 

  
  


“No, remember when I said my dad took that new job overseas?”

  
  


They both nodded. 

  
  


“Well, my allowance came in. And let’s just say tonight we’re going to have the  _ best  _ time.” Seungmin arched his brow as Minho pulled a bag from his pocket, realization hitting him, Seungmin throwing a French fry Minho’s way. 

  
  


“Chan is going to marry you.” Changbin whispered, reaching over the table to conceal the bag, “where did you get that from? I’m so mad I can’t go.”

  
  


“This is a college campus, Changbin. It’s not hard. And I’d turn him down, you know I’m spoken for.”

  
  


“Hyunjin might kill you for this one. You need a backup plan!” Changbin laughed, “are you planning on getting high with him there?”

  
  


“Hyunjin… he’s probably going to be hanging with Jisung all night anyways.”

  
  


“You should tell him. You know  _ why.” _ Seungmin frowned, “don’t leave him hanging.”

  
  


“I won’t. I’ll tell him, Jisung is going to keep an eye on him.”

  
  


Seungmin worried about that, but he trusted Jisung. He really did. 

  
  


“You’re coming still, right?” Minho asked as he crossed his arms over the table. 

  
  


“Yeah, of course. This means a lot to Chan.” Seungmin sighed out, “Hyunjin and Jisung want me there too…”

  
  


“Oh! Well I’m glad you’re coming, Seungmin.” Minho beamed, “it wouldn’t be the same without you... bummed you can’t tag along, Bin.”

  
  


“I’ll make the next one. I have to actually study tonight.” Changbin frowned. “Hey, have you spoken to Felix?” Changbin asked as all three men gave each other expectant looks. 

  
  


“Not really. I see him around sometimes but he kinda avoids me… I guess it’s cause of how close we are to Jisung? I don’t know. I miss him.”

  
  


Felix was the last to join their friend group. He transferred from Australia to their highschool and really didn’t know anyone. Jisung kinda grabbed him and took him under his wing. They grew to like him fast.  _ Especially Jisung.  _ Seungmin remembered catching Jisung and Felix making out in Seungmin’s room when he’d invited them over for a  _ study date.  _ They were perfect together. 

  
  


_ Were _ . 

  
  


Seungmin missed their old dynamic. He missed when Jisung and Felix were together. He missed when Jeongin hung out with them before they graduated and moved to campus. He missed Hyunjin before the  _ incident  _ that had scarred him for so long. As much as Seungmin wanted to go back, he didn’t want to erase what he had now. 

  
  


College had given him Chan, Minho, and  _ Changbin.  _ Seungmin would never give them up. Chan was the coolest human being ever. Chan was so accepting and friendly. He always knew what to do and say to cheer everyone else up. Minho was fun. Really fun. He was Chan’s best friend and roommate, really wild and carefree. And he was the  _ one _ person who practically saved Hyunjin’s life that  _ awful _ night. 

  
  


Changbin. The  _ new _ had given him Changbin. After being introduced to Changbin and the senior he’d been dating… it made sense they ended up together. The minute Seungmin shook Changbin’s boyfriend's hand he could just  _ tell _ everything was off. Thank god he did. Thank god he was there to stop that asshole. Would he have killed Changbin back then? Probably not. But if Seungmin hadn’t decided to beat the shit out of that guy, maybe he would have later on. 

  
  


He wouldn’t change anything that could destroy everything they had now. Even if some things were bad, the good outweighed, right? 

  
  


——

  
  


Seungmin adjusted the collar of the leather jacket he had pulled out from the pits of hell—or deep inside of his closet. It was nice. Dark and vintage yet not too dated. It looked good. He looked good. Seungmin huffed in the mirror as he examined the sliver of forehead poking through his dark hair, the thin line of eyeliner making him look way more intimidating than he was. But maybe intimidating was a good thing. Nobody dared fuck with him after what he’d done to Changbin’s ex. He sort of had renewed respect on campus because of it. 

  
  


“ _ Oooh _ look at you.” 

  
  


He could never fight that stupid smile that took over his face when Changbin complimented him. It’s something he’d never get used to. 

  
  


“You trying to run away from me, Seung?” He felt hands at his hips, a soft chuckle leaving his own lips as breath hit his neck. 

  
  


“You could always come tonight, Bin. Fuck studying.”

  
  


“It’s an important class. I would otherwise.” Changbin left tiny kisses at his neck and shoulder, swaying a bit. Changbin was a lot shorter so the contrast in the mirror was adorable. Seungmin could barely contain himself. “Seriously, go enjoy Minho’s weed and have a good time tonight.”

  
  


“You’re so tiny, you never last long when we smoke.” 

  
  


“Good thing I’ll be waiting here for you then.” Changbin squeezed his waist some, Seungmin fake choking before spinning himself around, smacking his face into Changbin’s cap. 

  
  


_ “Ow _ .”

  
  


“Seungmin!” Changbin laughed, slipping his cap off of his head before rubbing at Seungmin’s forehead, “you okay?”

  
  


Seungmin snorted, tugging Changbin down into his bed, the elder sighing as he settled into his lap, “you should skip it. Come with me.”

  
  


Changbin rested his chin at Seungmin’s shoulder, huffing in frustration, “you know I would If this wasn’t an important course. It’s easy for freshman to skip.”

  
  


“Everyone else is going!” Seungmin whined, rubbing Changbin’s back as he wrapped his arms around him securely, “Minho and you are in the same year and he’s going.”

  
  


“Minho doesn’t have to worry about flunking out, that man could be high off his ass and still get straight A’s.” Changbin replied, “the tutoring helped but I think I’m going to need a lot more if I wanna pass.”

  
  


Seungmin hated that Changbin was so concerned. Yeah, grades were important. But Changbin wanted perfection. He was already doing so well...nearly all perfect scores on everything. Everything but this one class. 

  
  


“I’ll catch the next one, Kay? Just promise you’ll come home to me and not to some rando frat guy.” Changbin pouted, pulling up to look Seungmin in the face. 

  
  


“I’d never go home with anyone else.” Seungmin grinned, watching that tiny smirk form at the corner of Changbin’s mouth, “I’m yours, remember?”

  
  


“Mhm.” Changbin laughed, leaning in to brush their lips together. 

  
  


Changbin was lovely. Seungmin really couldn’t imagine being with anyone besides him. They just fit together so well. 

  
  


_ So perfectly _ . 

  
  


—— 

“Earth to Seungmin.” 

  
  


“Huh?” Seungmin glanced up from his half-drank can of whatever shitty beer Chan had given him, tilting his head to examine the man standing before him. 

  
  


“Are you drunk already? You’re the lightest weight I’ve ever seen.”  _ Jisung _ . 

  
  


“No I was just—“

  
  


“He’s been staring at the carpet for the last ten minutes.” Hyunjin chimed in, laughing over the ridiculously loud EDM that was playing throughout the house. 

  
  


Seungmin shifted, taking another sip from his can, “I just wish Bin was here. That’s all.”

  
  


“Ahh? You just miss your boy.” Jisung pouted, kneeling down to look up with big eyes at Seungmin, “I’m sure he’s studying hard. Making you proud.” Jisung’s smile was genuine even if the words off his tongue followed with a strong smell of alcohol, “wanna go upstairs and blow off some steam?”

  
  


“Minho’s puff-puff room?” Seungmin sighed, raking fingers through his hair in thought. 

  
  


“I don’t know what that is. And no, I wanna avoid Felix. I know he went up there earlier… I can’t even believe he came.” Seungmin couldn’t believe it either, “and I meant like… maybe play some games?”

  
  


“Ah…” Seungmin offered Hyunjin a worried sigh before giving Jisung a brief nod, “how about outside instead? I don’t think being on the same floor as Felix is a great idea.”

  
  


“Shit, you’re probably right.” Jisung shook his head before grabbing Seungmin’s hand, “Okay then. Outside. Hyunjin wanna come? We won’t smoke or anything.”

  
  


“Ah, I’m cool here. I don’t think I have enough layers on for outside.” Hyunjin whispered, lifting up from the sofa, “I’ll mingle. Try to call Jeongin again.”

  
  


“I don’t want to leave you here alone—“

  
  


“I’m okay.” Hyunjin gulped, “I’m not drinking anything. I’ll just mingle a bit. I know most of the people here so… I’m safe, I promise.”

  
  


Seungmin winced at that.  _ Hyunjin _ . He wasn’t even sure why Minho continued to drag him to parties. He should have known Hyunjin probably wasn’t comfortable being at them after what happened to him. But maybe Hyunjin just craved some sort of normalcy. Minho wouldn’t let anything happen to him. He was awfully protective of Hyunjin. 

  
  


Hyunjin gave them a soft smile, phone already to his ear, “I appreciate you, but I’m fine.”

  
  


“Okay.” Jisung pouted, “See you soon, okay?” Jisung beamed, tapping Hyunjin’s shoulder before dragging Seungmin along through the mass of people. 

  
  


Seungmin didn’t want to leave Hyunjin, but fighting Hyunjin would just hurt him. He didn’t like to be babied. He’d made that clear to them. 

  
  


Outside was awfully cold. But it was refreshing. Nice. 

  
  


———

  
  


“So I lied.” Jisung was lighting his second cigarette, “I would have loved that puff-puff room if Felix wasn’t there. Jesus Christ, why is he here?”

  
  


“Chan probably invited him.” Jisung growled under his breath, “it’s his graduation... Felix probably came for him.” Jisung’s face calmed, a sigh escaping instead. 

  
  


“I just hate seeing him, man.”

  
  


“When are you gonna tell us what happened?”

  
  


“That’s on him. Not me.” Jisung narrowed his eyes before handing Seungmin the cigarette, “stop asking me about it. I know I’m drunk but I’m not answering.”

  
  


Seungmin shook his head to the offer, hands in the pockets of his jacket as eyes settled onto the silent pool. It was way too cold for anyone to want to be out there swimming, “I really miss everyone. I miss him too.”

  
  


Jisung shook his head, cigarette back between his lips as he shuddered, “me too.”

  
  


Seungmin wanted to know. He did. Jisung clearly missed Felix. Missed him so badly that Seungmin knew that it must’ve been Felix that hurt Jisung. He’d never believe Jisung would have done anything to him. He hoped that whatever it was… wasn’t anything that would tarnish their friendships entirely. He wanted to see Felix so badly. 

  
  


“Hey, are you guys coming upstairs at all?” Some girl from their maths class was yelling for them, hand at the sliding door, “plenty to go around!”

  
  


“We’ll pass.” Seungmin nodded, patting Jisung’s arm. 

  
  


“Your loss.” She laughed, being dragged by another girl from the door. That room must’ve been popular.  _ Fun _ . 

  
  


“Tsk, thanks.” Jisung hissed, looking up at the sky. He was probably so drunk that he was counting stars. Seungmin knew  _ he _ was buzzed, but Jisung had a drink in hand all night long. 

  
  


“Puff puff room is what Chan named it.” Seungmin started to laugh, “Chan is an idiot.”

  
  


Jisung started laughing too, shaking his head as lips curled up into his dorky smile, “idiot Chan.”

  
  


“This was such a bad idea. It’s so cold.” Jisung hissed, waving his feet around in the water they’d shifted into after calling Chan an idiot for the past half hour, “it’s December. What’s our issue?”

  
  


Seungmin laughed, swaying his own in the water despite the freezing temperature. He was so warm from the beer that they’d grabbed from Chan’s cooler after Jisung finished the remainder of his pack of cigarettes. 

  
  


“Jesus...I wonder what they’re doing up there.” Jisung sighed, laying back against the ground, eyes darting to the house behind them. 

  
  


“Yeah... probably lots of illegal stuff.” Seungmin laughed, swaying slightly as he took another sip of his nearly empty can. 

  
  


“Oh shit…”

  
  


“They’re probably so high. Maybe I should stop by before I leave. Minho made it sound so—“

  
  


“Oh fuck!” Jisung flipped over onto his stomach, eyes and mouth wide, “Seungmin. I’m not that drunk. You see it too, right?!”

  
  


_ Panic _ . He was panicking. Jisung was scrambling up, grabbing his shoes, sliding wet feet into shoes that Seungmin knew were too expensive. 

  
  


“See what?” Seungmin peered around, his sight foggy. No not foggy. The smoke just made it look  _ foggy _ . Oh shit. “Oh my god is that?”

  
  


“Oh my god!” Jisung was moving fast, rushing towards the house. 

  
  


Did nobody fucking  _ smell _ the smoke?! 

  
  


They must have. Before Jisung even reached the patio the sliding door swung open, people knocking Jisung back as they flowed out. 

  
  


Oh shit. 

  
  


Seungmin started panicking, pulling himself out of the water and sliding his own shoes on hastily. His first thoughts were fuzzy. But they immediately went to Hyunjin. He had to get to Hyunjin. 

  
  


The scene was a mess. The smoke got bigger. But thankfully everyone seemed to get out fast. Chan was escorting people out the back gate as someone else phoned the police. Seungmin hadn’t seen Hyunjin yet, but he figured he might have gone out with Minho. He had to be with him, right? His head was too fuzzy. 

  
  


It was taking a while. And seungmin was becoming more and more worried. As people rushed to leave, he couldn’t bring himself to just accept this fire upstairs. Something was wrong. He didn’t know what. But something. 

  
  


Seungmin finally left the back, arms crossed over his chest as he watched Jisung on the phone not too far off. Probably to his parents. 

  
  


Everyone was on their phones, honestly. And those who weren’t were talking in circles about the fire. Seungmin took a deep breath as he made his way through the crowd, eyes widening as they landed on a familiar face. 

  
  


Oh.  _ Hyunjin _ . Finally!

  
  


“Hyunjin?” Seungmin approached him quickly, he could see Hyunjin pacing, tapping his phone impatiently. He was crying, no he was  _ sobbing _ . Why was nobody helping him?! Why was everyone too absorbed with everything else? Why had  _ he _ been too absorbed to stay with Hyunjin earlier? 

  
  


“Hyunjin.” Seungmin was still light headed. But he was keeping his distance, Hyunjin looking up through tears at him, “what’s wrong. Are you okay?”

  
  


“Minho. I can’t find Minho.”

  
  


Seungmin let out a whine, “he probably went—“

  
  


“I waited by the front. He never came out. And Chan said he didn’t see him at all either.” Hyunjin panicked, “Seungmin, where is minho?”

  
  


Seungmin hadn’t seen Minho either. 

  
  


“I can’t breathe, I don’t know where he is!” Hyunjin was too panicked. Too terrified. He hadn’t been this shaky since—

  
  


“What’s going on!?”  _ Felix _ , “Hyunjin, calm down what’s going on?” Seungmin hadn’t heard that many words from Felix since the breakup. Hell, he missed his voice so much. 

  
  


Hyunjin was panicking more as a loud noise came from the window above, Felix dragging Hyunjin back. 

  
  


The fire was growing. They should leave. More and more people were starting to leave and back away. They had to leave. 

  
  


But. 

  
  


Seungmin looked up. The fire looked bad. Yeah. They should leave. 

  
  


His instincts told him not to leave. 

  
  


Why was he moving towards the house?

  
  


His instincts told him to go back inside. 

  
  


“Seungmin!?”

  
  


Why was he pushing past Chan and now  _ inside _ the burning house? 

  
  


His instincts told him to ignore Chan calling for him to come back. 

  
  


Seungmin was racing through like he wasn’t drunk, up the steps like he wasn’t buzzed off his ass. Towards the smoke filled hallway like the fucking house wasn’t on fire—like Minho wasn’t laying on the fucking floor of the bathroom as he started down the smoky hallway. 

  
  


The bathroom. With the fucking door open. Nobody saw him? Nobody cared to—Seungmin shook his head, covering his mouth as he smacked Minho’s back. 

  
  


“Minho get up!” 

  
  


The fucking house was on fire. Just a room down was ablaze. One room. And Minho was so close. He was  _ so _ close. 

  
  


“Minho please, we have to go!”

  
  


Minho wouldn’t move. Hell, he wasn’t even breathing. At least not that Seungmin could tell. He could try dragging him out, right? 

  
  


“Minho please…” Seungmin hooked his arm underneath Minho's arms, coughing as his shirt slipped from his mouth. The air was so bad. He was choking. He had to get out. He had to get Minho out.

  
  


His instincts had led him here. 

  
  


It was so hot. So dark. So scary and his head wasn’t processing anything. Nothing useful, anyways. 

  
  


Seungmin wondered if he was dragging a dead body out into the hall, Minho’s head just lolling to the side. God. If Minho was dead, Hyunjin would lose it. Everyone would lose it. God, Minho was his friend. One of his fucking best friends. 

  
  


“Minho, please wake up… “ Seungmin’s head spun as he dragged Minho down the hall. 

  
  


Seungmin was shaking as he tripped on the rug, falling forwards in the hallway. The smoke was so dark. It was so dark. His lungs were burning. Jesus, he like he’d start burning any second. He could see the fire starting at the end of the hallway and spreading to the roof and ceiling. 

  
  


Oh. 

  
  


The  _ ceiling _ . Seungmin looked upright, eyes wide and filled with fear. He was filled with  _ fear _ . 

  
  


The ceiling was cracking apart. Breaking. Seungmin’s eyes widened. 

  
  


Oh fuck— his instincts had failed him. 

  
  


So sudden. It was so sudden and—

  
  


Seungmin’s breaths were heavy. Everything was heavy. He was—wait. He was at the pool. He was at the pool again. He wasn’t burning. His lungs weren’t hot. He was cold. Cold from the temperature and the water. 

  
  


“You good?”  _ Jisung _ . 

  
  


Seungmin arched his brow, gaze moving slowly to the window. No smoke. 

  
  


“Seungmin?”

  
  


“I—did I fall asleep?”

  
  


“No you just got quiet.” Jisung took a long drag of his cigarette, “got really quiet.”

  
  


“The fire….”

  
  


“The what?” Jisung laughed. He was laughing. How could he laugh when—

  
  


“Minho—“ Seungmin rushed up from the pool, eyes foggy and head spinning. That’s right. He was drunk. Shit. 

  
  


“Minho? He’s upstairs, dude.”

  
  


“Have to…” Seungmin blinked. Smoke. Smoke. 

  
  


“Oh fuck.” Jisung gasped. 

  
  


Smoke. Smoke. Smoke. 

  
  


“I have to—oh my god. Minho.”

  
  


People were coming out of the house again. He had to get in. He had to get in. 

  
  


“Seungmin, what are you doing?” Jisung called after him. 

  
  


“Minho. He’s going to—he needs me!” He couldn’t focus. He was panicking. He saw Hyunjin leaving through the front door. He knew Minho was upstairs. He was upstairs. 

  
  


“Seungmin?” 

  
  


He didn’t register who that was. He pushed passed people, reaching the stairs bannister. 

  
  


Chan. He locked eyes with Chan. 

  
  


“Minho—“

  
  


Seungmin was wide eyed as Chan just pressed passed. Chan was so high. So high. Seungmin hadn’t noticed the last time—the last time?!

  
  


He shook his head, racing passed people. Pushing his way up. 

  
  


And then he saw it. The smoke at the end of the hall. It wasn’t too bad. It hadn’t filled yet. He had time. 

  
  


He rushed to the bathroom, Minho in the same position on the floor from the last time. 

  
  


What if Minho was already dead? What if the smoke and the ceiling hadn’t killed him the last time. What if he overdosed? Was it drugs? God, Minho wasn’t moving again. He could be dead. He really could be. 

  
  


“ _ Minho _ ?” Seungmin was so dizzy, reaching down to feel for breath. For any indication that his friend was alive. 

  
  


“Seungmin, what the fuck are you doing up here?“

  
  


Seungmin spun around, locking eyes with Felix. 

  
  


“Oh my god,  _ Minho _ ?” Felix winced. 

  
  


“We have to go...fire. He—“

  
  


“Okay, come on let’s get out here. Seungmin, get up. I’ve got him.” Felix pushed passed him, scooping Minho into his arms. Minho wasn’t light. Seungmin could tell. But Felix was doing his best. 

  
  


What the fuck was happening? Seungmin followed Felix hastily, looking back to see the smoke starting to fill the hall. Would the ceiling still collapse? What would happen?

  
  


He couldn’t process. As they reached the back like last time, Hyunjin was freaking out again, the second he saw Minho he raced over, reaching for him and helping Felix get him to the ground. 

  
  


What the fuck had just happened. 

  
  


Seungmin blinked. All he did was blink. And the house was engulfed. It was so fast. How did it burn that fast?! Just seconds ago it was only in the hallway? How was he watching the house...engulfed. 

  
  


“Seungmin, you’re insane.”  _ Jisung _ . “Are you okay?”

  
  


“Huh?”

  
  


“Saving Minho like that. How did you know he needed help?”

  
  


“What?”

  
  


“Minho was passed out upstairs, right? How did you know?” Jisung was so panicked, grabbing for Seungmin’s face as if examining him. But that didn’t mean much, Jisung was still drunk too. 

  
  


“I—“

  
  


“Seungmin…” Hyunjin. He was shaking, crying. And then he was hugging him. Tightly. Hyunjin hadn’t let anyone besides Minho touch him ever since the  _ incident _ . It had been so long since Seungmin had felt Hyunjin’s warmth. 

  
  


“Hyunjin?”

  
  


“Thank you for finding him...I don’t know what I would—oh my god, thank you.”

  
  


Seungmin was panicking inside. Finding Minho. How did he know that—he must have just? What the fuck? 

  
  


“Is he okay?” Seungmin whispered as Hyunjin pulled away slowly. 

  
  


“Yes. He...he took too much of that stuff they were doing upstairs and he passed out. But he’s okay. He’s okay and he’s awake.” Hyunjin added, offering Seungmin a wide smile, “he’s okay. The ambulance is going to take him to the hospital. He’s fine.”

  
  


Time may have been fleeting, but  _ somehow  _ Seungmin had managed to trick it. What the hell just happened?! 

  
  


His instincts hadn’t failed him. They’d  _ saved _ Minho. How the hell did that happen? Seungmin should have been dead. He saw the ceiling collapse. They were as good as dead. 

  
  


But they weren’t. They were fine. 

  
  


What the fuck happened?

  
  


**———**

  
  


“You okay?” Changbin brushed his fingers through Seungmin’s hair, arms tight around him as they lay together In Seungmin’s bed, “you’ve been so quiet...I’m really worried about you.”

  
  


“I’m just...I’m okay. I promise, Bin.” Seungmin sighed, turning himself around, wrapping his limbs around his boyfriend securely, “I’m just shaky from the fire.”

  
  


“I should have gone.”

  
  


“No. It’s better that you weren’t there. It was—“

  
  


“I heard you saved Minho. He overdosed in one of the bathrooms.”

  
  


“It wasn’t intentional, the overdose.”

  
  


“I know. The cops are looking into it. I heard Chan’s in some trouble but they just want to know who supplied those drugs.”

  
  


Seungmin nodded, burying his face into Changbin’s warmth, “the whole party was pretty bad, i'm so glad you were home.”

  
  


“Home. That’s cute. You mean my boyfriend’s dorm room?” Changbin laughed, pulling Seungmin’s face up, pressing tiny pecks to his lips, “home. You’re my home, Seungmin. I should have been with you.”

  
  


Seungmin cringed, biting Changbin’s bottom lip. 

  
  


“Ow!”

  
  


“Don’t use that cheesy shit on me!” Seungmin snorted, slipping his hands underneath of Changbin’s shirt, feeling the warm skin at his touch, “You’re so dumb.”

  
  


Changbin laughed, eyes half lidded as his own fingertips slipped up Seungmin’s stomach, touches from Changbin’s fingers cool in contrast to Changbin’s warmth. 

  
  


“You’re dumb too.”

  
  


He loved Changbin. And the distraction was nice too. He liked forgetting about the weird night he’d had. And the last thing he wanted to do was discuss it with Changbin. He didn’t want him to freak out about what he experienced, not that he even knew how to. 

  
  


Seungmin just wanted to be here. Right here. 

  
  


“Seungmin…” Changbin’s mouth was wide, eyes screwed shut and hair a mess at his forehead. He was so nice to look at. He was usually pretty scary looking to others, but to Seungmin he was insatiable. Beautiful in every way. 

  
  


“Yeah? That’s my name.” Seungmin teased, rolling his hips playfully, Changbin shuddering into the touch. 

  
  


“I hate you.” He laughed, pulling Seungmin’s lips back to his, soft moans filling Seungmin’s mouth as Changbin’s muscles clenched around his cock. 

  
  


He didn’t last long after that. And the feeling of spilling into his boyfriend was always euphoric. Always good. And Changbin’s happy giggles that lingered after Seungmin collapsed always felt nice. He loved him so fucking much. 

  
  


“You okay to go to class tomorrow?” Changbin whispered, nuzzling into the nape of Seungmin’s neck. 

  
  


He always smelled best after a shower. After a long, steamy shower. 

  
  


“Yeah. Minho is coming back to campus tomorrow so I’m gonna try and see him. Hyunjin told me he wanted to talk to me anyways.”

  
  


“Probably because you saved his life.”

  
  


Seungmin sighed, “he really would have died if I didn’t go up there. Why didn’t anyone help him?”

  
  


“Everyone was high off their shit. Remember what Chan said in his text this morning? He felt horrible for rushing passed. Said he saw Minho but was too crowded and panicked to stop. He couldn’t stop.”

  
  


“Asshole.”

  
  


Changbin slapped his arm, “No. Drugged out. The drugs were probably laced and Minho was way too excited. He took too much and passed out. Don’t blame Chan.”

  
  


“He just—” Seungmin sighed, “he just stared at me when I was going up the stairs. Like he knew that he was doing wrong and I just—I don’t know.”

  
  


“I’m sure Chan didn’t  _ intentionally _ leave him. He was out of it. Really out of it.”

  
  


“I’m glad I got to him.” Seungmin huffed, curling into Changbin, “if he would have died…”

  
  


“You’re a hero. I don’t know how you knew but you saved his life, Seungmin. It’s in the past anyways. Time is, you know,  _ always _ moving. It doesn’t stop for anyone.”

  
  


_ Time _ . Time did stop. It reversed. It had to have reversed for him. What happened was so impossible. 

  
  


——

  
  


Their booth in the cafeteria had been normal.  _ Loud _ . The same as it usually was. It was like the horrific fire at the house Chan had called home his senior year didn’t matter. It wasn’t technically  _ his,  _ it was the universities. But what difference should that make? It still happened. 

  
  


“Hey Seungmin!”

  
  


_ Minho _ . He was standing there, bandage at his cheek from when he’d fallen in the bathroom that night, he looked tired. He’d probably gotten the scolding of his life from his parents after he’d gotten out of the hospital. 

  
  


“Hey Minho,” Seungmin whispered, watching Minho and Hyunjin closely. 

  
  


Hyunjin was at Minho’s arm, his own securely locked around Minho’s, “Minho wanted to talk to you. It’s okay if you guys wanna talk in private.” Hyunjin’s arm slipped from Minho with reluctance as he settled into the closest seat to the exit. Hyunjin had hated the middle after his trauma. Nobody blamed him. 

  
  


“Ah, yeah. Can we talk?” Minho seemed a little nervous. Hesitant. 

  
  


“Sure.”

  
  


Minho had of course thanked him. He took Seungmin right outside the lounge into one of the side halls, “thank you, again.”

  
  


“Don’t worry about it...I’m sure someone else would have—“

  
  


“No, everyone else left apparently. You ran  _ inside _ to help me. I don’t know how you knew but…” Minho wasn’t doing okay. Seungmin could see the anxiety in his eyes. “Seriously, thank you. When I woke up Hyunjin was so mad, and he was crying. Like...” Minho took a deep breath, “I can’t imagine leaving him behind, you know?”

  
  


Minho wasn’t usually so  _ serious _ . But when it came to Hyunjin... he really cared about him. 

  
  


“I know.”

  
  


“No like...he  _ needs _ me. And if I would have died, I can’t imagine. Jesus, you know how shaky he’s been since that night. So thank you. Seriously, thank you.” Minho's smile was warm. And the hug right after was warm. And everything about Minho was warm. Like... the burning feeling was lingering. Like maybe Minho  _ wasn’t _ supposed to be there. 

  
  


“No problem, Minho.”

  
  


Seungmin smiled as Minho pulled away, glint in his eyes reminiscent of fire. 

  
  


“So, has anyone talked to  _ Jeongin _ ?”

  
  


The table got quiet while Seungmin and Minho settled back into their respective places. Minho usually sat  _ beside _ Hyunjin, but this time Minho was on Hyunjin’s lap, Hyunjin wrapping his arms around the older man tightly. He must’ve been so scared still. Seungmin couldn’t blame him. Minho really could have died that night. 

  
  


“No. He never came to the party at all,” Hyunjin frowned, “he never replied to our messages either.”

  
  


“I bet his dad caught him trying to leave.” Jisung huffed, chin in his palm, “Fuck, I wish I could get Jeongin out of there.”

  
  


“Me too.” Hyunjin frowned, face in Minho’s back. 

  
  


Chan had been especially quiet the entire time. He hadn’t looked at Seungmin at all. Nor had he even glanced in Minho’s direction, “you guys should call someone. He’s still a minor, right?”

  
  


“He’s an adult now. And even if we call nobody will listen. Jeongin will just tell us to stop.” Jisung chimed in again, “Jeongin won’t let us do anything.”

  
  


“I swear...if I see that kid in bruises again I’m going to kill his dad.” Minho huffed, Hyunjin giving him a light squeeze, “it’s what he deserves.”

  
  


Seungmin sighed in defeat, brushing his fingers into Changbin’s hair, “I can stop by his house later. See if he’s okay. His parents love me.”

  
  


“Alone?” Changbin asked worriedly. 

  
  


“His parents really love me. I used to go over every day when we were in school together.”

  
  


“Just be careful with his dad—“

  
  


“He’s pleasant.” Jisung clicked his tongue, “he acts like a good guy when Jeongin has a friend around.”

  
  


“What Ji said. His dad puts up a really convincing facade. He’s awful behind the scenes.” Seungmin settled back in the booth, Changbin leaning against him, “I’ll try to reason with him. Get him to stay at the dorm with me.”

  
  


“We’ll get an apartment next year and take care of him.” Changbin added, nuzzling against Seungmin comfortably, “he needs to get out of there.”

  
  


Seungmin smiled at that. Taking care of Jeongin. Didn’t sound bad. Not one bit. 

  
  


——

“When are we going to talk about what happened?” Jisung asked, setting his pen down. They were in class. Now wasn’t the time. 

  
  


“What do you mean?”

  
  


“How did you know?” Jisung pressed. 

  
  


Seungmin frowned, “I don’t know, Jisung.”

  
  


“You said he  _ needed _ you. He was passed out. He didn’t call you. And I know I was drunk but I was right next to you.” 

  
  


“Jisung, I’m trying to—“

  
  


“Seungmin. Is it happening again?”

  
  


Again? 

  
  


“Ji, I’m trying to focus.”

  
  


“The deja vu thing you mentioned. You remembering things that didn’t happen yet, you knew he was in trouble and saved him.”

  
  


Seungmin sighed, biting at his bottom lip in anguish, “I just don’t know. I was upstairs. And there was smoke and he was on the floor and I…”

  
  


“Seungmin—“

  
  


“The ceiling fell and then I woke up by the pool with you.” Seungmin drew a deep breath, glad they were in the back of the room. 

  
  


“The ceiling?”

  
  


Seungmin shifted in his seat, “Yeah. The ceiling. It collapsed and I don’t know. I woke up by the pool. Like I  _ saw _ it happen and I tried to stop it but it was too late the first time.”

  
  


“The deja vu. You had it last year when Changbin was—“

  
  


“Shush. Don’t bring that up.” Seungmin hissed, patting Jisung’s notebook, “but yes I think so. The  _ deja vu _ . I think it’s deja vu. I don’t know.”

  
  


Jisung frowned, “this was different though. You saved him.”

  
  


“I don’t know about that. I think I was just lucky.  _ Felix _ is the one who saved him.” Seungmin paused, “I didn’t mean to bring him up he was just—“

  
  


“Felix was there the first time?”

  
  


“Well no—“

  
  


“So it was all you, mister hero.” Jisung smiled, taking his pen into hand again. “You saved Minho’s life. 

  
  


The rest of the day was a blur. A long blur. Seungmin could barely focus as he was walking towards Jeongin’s house after the short bus ride. He hoped his friend was okay. He hoped he was... god he hoped he was okay. 

  
  


Seungmin was greeted by Jeongin’s mother. She had a thick bandage at her neck. Seungmin knew. And she knew that he knew. She had to have known. 

  
  


“Jeongin is in his room. He missed classes today. He was... sick,” she allowed Seungmin in of course. Thankfully his dad was at work, “Felix was here the other day. I haven’t seen him in months...” she trailed off a moment, “Felix told me about the party. About what happened. You saved Minho's life.”

  
  


Seungmin swallowed thickly, “that was Felix.”

  
  


“He said it was you.” She smiled. 

  
  


Seungmin sighed as he heard shuffling from the hall. 

  
  


“Seungmin?”

  
  


Seungmin couldn’t help but smile when he caught the blue haired boy in the hall. Even if it hurt. He was smiling. As wide as he could for his younger friend. 

  
  


“Hey Jeongin.”

  
  


It was a little awkward. Sitting in Jeongin’s room. Trying to ignore the trash can filled with bloody tissues. Trying to ignore the bandages around his arm and rest at his cheeks. 

  
  


“I’m sorry I didn’t go to the party. I had things to do.” Jeongin whispered, drawing circles into the carpet with his finger, “I heard it was fun until…”

  
  


“I’m glad you weren’t there but I’m not glad that you were  _ here _ .”

  
  


Jeongin shot him a look. 

  
  


“Jeongin... how long are you going to deal with it?”

  
  


“It’s nothing. I tell you every—“

  
  


“It’s not okay.”

  
  


Jeongin shuddered, “we can't change things. Just leave it. Please, one day I’ll leave. I’ll leave and take her with me.”

  
  


“Jeongin… she is never leaving. He’s going to end up killing you—.”

  
  


“Believe me. I know that. I wish he was dead.”

  
  


Seungmin shuddered at that. 

  
  


“I just wish he would have died that night when he got into that wreck. It should have been him that died. Not that family. Not that baby in the backseat…”

  
  


“Jeongin…”

  
  


“I just—we can’t fix things. It won’t end till we leave. I’ll get her out. I have to.” 

  
  


It hurt. Seungmin felt numb. He felt numb when he finally left. He felt numb walking to the bus stop. Numb walking into his dorm. Everything was numb. Jeongin didn’t deserve to be beaten by his dad for protecting his mother. He didn’t deserve that at all. 

  
  


—— 

A few days had gone by. Things had stayed the same. Everyone was doing alright with what had happened too.  _ Sort of. _ Today felt different. Off. The minute Seungmin reached their booth he could feel the tension. 

  
  


“Chan’s upset.” Changbin whispered, finally informing Seungmin on what was going on, “first the fire destroys his off house and now his family dog was hit by a car.”

  
  


Things just weren’t looking up like Seungmin thought. 

  
  


“Is he okay?”

  
  


“He’s a wreck. He’s been staring at pictures of him for an hour. He can’t stop crying. I know to some people it’s just a dog but I can’t imagine losing something so important. I’ve never seen him so distraught.”

  
  


“He was just a puppy…” Chan was sniffling, “we just got him this spring. He was like...an early graduation gift. I was finally going to spend time with him after graduation.” Chan laughed bitterly, biting his lip. He’d been biting it a lot. It was so red. 

  
  


“Did they find out who did it?”

  
  


“No, the person who did it drove off. My little sister said that she saw them drive away.” Chan burst into tears, Jisung instantly wrapping his arms around him. 

  
  


Seungmin frowned, patting Chan’s shoulder, “I’m so sorry Chan. I wish I could—”

  
  


Flashes. 

  
  


Seungmin was having flashes. 

  
  


Why was he seeing Chan’s puppy? He’d never seen the puppy. Why was he seeing the dog and Chan’s house!? Australia?! 

  
  


And then the car. And. He looked away. He couldn’t see that. It was awful. The dog was—why was he seeing this?

  
  


“ _ Seungmin _ ?” 

  
  


Where was he? Where was he?

  
  


He heard a concerned Changbin just seconds before. But now he was somewhere else. It was hot. The sun was bright. Hot at his skin. 

  
  


He was in fucking—

  
  


“Come back!” The giggles of children. The bark of a dog. 

  
  


Seungmin spun around. Chan’s sister was right there. What on earth was he seeing? 

  
  


“Come back!!” She cried out. 

  
  


The dog zipped passed Seungmin. Seungmin turned, no one was following after the dog. Chan’s siblings weren’t after the puppy, they were playing. They mustn’t have seen the dog running off. 

  
  


The road. 

  
  


Seungmin turned again, mouth wide as the dog ran straight for the road. No!

  
  


He was fast. He wasn’t the fastest, but he was fast. He reached the road, the puppy rolling in the middle of the street. Jesus this dog had no idea how dumb it was being. 

  
  


“Hey! Get over here!” Seungmin called out, the dog giving him a look. 

  
  


What was happening? 

  
  


No no no. A car. It was speeding. So fast. The car was so fast. 

  
  


Seungmin had to react. He had to get the dog out of the way. He rushed into the road, the dog yelping out as Seungmin reached to grab him. Of course the dog didn’t let him grab him. He didn’t know Seungmin. The dog bit him on the hand before scampering off. 

  
  


“Fucking dog—“ Seungmin glanced to

His hand, more annoyed than upset about the bite. 

  
  


_ Oh shit.  _

  
  


That was  _ hard _ . 

  
  


Seungmin rolled over something. No. More like smacked and then rolled. Feet off the ground. 

  
  


The sound of screeching wheels ran through his mind. The view of a license plate. An Australian one. Driving away. 

  
  


And then tiny licks. Puppy licks. The dog was licking Seungmins hand. His bloody hand. 

  
  


“Where are you!?” The kids. 

  
  


Seungmin’s eyes fell shut. He’d never felt so much pain. His bones were yelling at him, his breath short. He could see so much blood. So much fucking blood. It hurt so much. He was— was he seriously about to die in Australia?! Was this real? 

  
  


“Seungmin, are you okay? You’re burning up.”

  
  


_ Changbin _ . 

  
  


“Seung?”

  
  


Seungmin turned onto his side, clutching his stomach. He felt so awful. Like he’d been  _ hit by a car.  _

  
  


“Hey, can I get you anything?” Changbin was sitting on the bed, body warm against Seungmin’s broken one. 

  
  


He was…

  
  


“Seungmin you’re scaring me. Are you okay?” Changbin’s hand pressed against his forehead, “you’re burning up baby…”

  
  


“Chan…”

  
  


“Yeah?”

  
  


“Chan. Bang Chan. He.”

  
  


Changbin turned Seungmin over, brushing fingers along his cheek, “what about Chan?”

  
  


“His puppy is... is his puppy okay?”

  
  


“His dog? I guess. Why?”

  
  


“Did he call you? His puppy... hit by car.”

  
  


“As far as I know, no.” Changbin took his phone out, holding it to Seungmin. The sound of ringing. 

  
  


“Yo.” Chan answered fast. He sounded  _ okay _ . 

  
  


“Chan, is your dog okay?” Seungmin whined, clutching his shoulder, “is he—?”

  
  


“How...Yeah he’s fine. Seungmin did my sister text you by mistake? I know she has yours and Felix’s number but... did she tell you about the hit and run?”

  
  


“Oh fuck, is your dog okay?! Did someone get hit?”

  
  


“Yeah. Our dog is fine but my sister said that someone  _ did  _ get hit. That whoever it was disappeared. The car kept going and there was blood. She said she saw someone but when she turned to get the dog they disappeared.”

  
  


Seungmin’s heart raced. 

  
  


“Yeah, your sister. She texted me. I’m sorry I just... I hope your puppy is okay.”

  
  


Chan laughed, “Yeah he’s fine. Whoever that guy was must have saved my pup's little life.”

  
  


After an exchange of goodbyes, Changbin hung up, curling himself beside Seungmin, “what the hell was that?”

  
  


Seungmin whined, pressing his face into Changbin’s neck. The pain was subsiding slowly, “I don’t know. I just had a bad dream about his dog. I don’t know.”

  
  


The next day was supposed to be the day Chan was a wreck. The day Chan was crying. But instead he was laughing. 

  
  


Everyone was. 

  
  


Though Seungmin was still aching. He could feel the searing pain in his shoulder. His head. He ached all over, almost as if he’d  _ actually _ been hit by a car. 

  
  


He felt numb. And anxious. Is this a fraction of the misery that Hyunjin felt? 

  
  


——

  
  


Another week went by. 

  
  


“Don’t touch me.” Hyunjin growled out suddenly. 

  
  


Seungmin shot his head up, Jisung backing off slowly, “I’m sorry Hyunjin, I forgot that—“

  
  


“How could you forget?! You were there!” Hyunjin was panicking. Gathering attention. 

  
  


“Hyunjin, calm down. He didn’t mean—“  _ Minho _ . 

  
  


“You were there too, Minho!” Hyunjin screamed, grabbing his bag, “Everyone was there and—“ He stammered, shooting Seungmin a glare before rushing off.

  
  


Seungmin couldn’t even register what had really occurred. The lingering effects from the accident were keeping him  _ so _ unfocused. He just heard Minho racing after him. And whispers. So many whispers. 

  
  


“Fuck, I wish people would mind their own business.” Changbin growled, throwing a glare to a table nearby, 

  
  


“I didn’t mean to touch him. Oh my god…” Jisung was shaking, “I just... I used to touch his thigh all the time. I forgot. I swear! Oh my god, he hates me.”

  
  


“He hasn’t been the same since what happened. It’s not your fault, Jisung.” Chan sighed, patting Jisung’s hair. 

  
  


Jisung took a deep breath before eyeing Seungmin. He didn’t know what that meant. 

  
  


———

  
  


“I said I don’t know what I did. I just appeared in fucking Aussie land.”

  
  


Jisung knew a lot. Too much. 

  
  


“Okay, but you  _ saved _ his dog. You literally knew that someone got hit and his sister never told you. Deja vu again.”

  
  


“I don’t know. Deja vu doesn’t cut it. I felt the car and she saw me... well not me, but it was me and—Jisung that happened.”

  
  


“So you think you can time travel or something?”

  
  


Seungmin hissed, throwing his head back, “I don’t know. I couldn’t control it. I wasn’t even really thinking about it.”

  
  


“Chan was crying. You looked heartbroken.”

  
  


“Of all things I saved a dog?”

  
  


Jisung smiled, “you saved Minho, too, remember that?”

  
  


“Ji—“

  
  


“No, Seungmin. You saved his life. You saved Chan’s dog. You’ve done two remarkable things.”

  
  


Seungmin shook his head, “I don’t know what’s happening with me.”

  
  


“You’re doing it again.”

  
  


Seungmin gave Jisung a pained look. 

  
  


“You saved Changbin that day.”

  
  


“I didn’t save him…”

  
  


“The bruises stopped that day. Yes, you did.”

  
  


“I just beat that guy up. I didn’t do anything—“

  
  


“Nobody knew he was hurting Bin. everyone loved his ex.” Jisung pressed, “You  _ knew _ . Somehow you knew. And you stopped it.”

  
  


“I think I just had a crush on him—“

  
  


“The bruises stopped. You two fell in love. Nobody knew that monster was hurting Changbin. Bin never told anyone. Some miraculous thing happened and you stopped it. You stopped him from ending up in the hospital or dead. You told me that.”

  
  


Seungmin sighed, rubbing his arms that were still so sore from the incident, “I was lucky.”

  
  


“You’re a fucking superhero, Seungmin. You have this amazing ability and I think you should use it more often.”

  
  


“I almost got crushed to death in that house. I was hit by a car.”

  
  


“Physically you’re okay, right? You saved Minho and Chan’s dog.”

  
  


“Hardly.”

  
  


“I think you’re a hero.”

  
  


Seungmin shook his head, laughter illuminating the dim room. The dim mood.

  
  


So they went out. Seungmin needed air. He needed something. 

  
  


“I miss him.” Jisung whispered suddenly, puffing smoke from his lips, Seungmin doing the same though he didn’t like smoking as much, “this is so stupid, Seungmin.”

  
  


Seungmin huffed, “Jisung what even happened?”

  
  


“I can’t.” Jisung shook his head, “I just can’t even talk about this. I can’t handle it.”

  
  


“Did he cheat on you?”

  
  


Jisung winced, “no... nothing like that, Seung. I would have broken his nose.”

  
  


“Sungie, what happened? I miss Felix and you so much. It’s not the same without you two.”

  
  


Jisungs lip quivered, “it’s complicated.”

  
  


“Why doesn’t he talk to us anymore?”

  
  


Jisung shook his head, “the day we broke up... it’s all my fault. I’m sorry, Seungmin. I can’t.” Jisung tossed the cigarette to the floor, rushing back towards the campus buildings. 

  
  


Seungmin had been trying to get more. Even if it was to distract Jisung from asking about time travel. Though Seungmin’s mind lingered on trying to go back to the day Jisung and Felix broke up. He was trying to get a date. A time. Something to help him. Anything. He was being a fool. Jisung had him thinking that this time travel thing was real. But Jisung was hurting. So why the break up? Why was it Jisung’s fault? Seungmin wanted to help. If what Jisung said was true, why wouldn’t he help his friend out? 

  
  


Seungmin couldn’t take it. 

  
  


“If you believe in time travel. You need to tell me the truth about what happened, Jisung.”

  
  


This was stupid. 

  
  


“You believe in time travel now?”

  
  


“Please. If time travel is real. If I can fix things...I need you to tell me what happened. Maybe it’ll trigger something and I can stop what happened between you two.”

  
  


“This was months ago…”

  
  


“It's been a long time but...I have to. I have to do this for you.”

  
  


“Seungmin—”

  
  


“I would try to stop what happened to Hyunjin too but—“

  
  


“But what?” Jisung was shaky. 

  
  


“I’m scared.” 

  
  


Seungmin was actually  _ terrified _ . How would he stop the awful thing that happened to Hyunjin? Seungmin was balls deep into Changbin at the time anyways. Rooms away. Would he just halt that to stop something that could already be in process when he got there? He couldn’t see that. He refused. He’d die if he saw that. What if he couldn’t stop it?!

  
  


“I need to figure out how to control it.”

  
  


“You want to erase these things... but they’re different from Chan’s dog and that fire. These things happened months ago...”

  
  


“I have to try. If you believe this is real and I can fix things... please let me try this. I need to fix them. Let me do this for you, Jisung.”

  
  


“What will happen? Fixing them?”

  
  


“I don’t know. I just….”

  
  


“Will it change the fire?”

  
  


Seungmin whined, “Jisung...”

  
  


“Will Felix be able to save you and Minho? Will he be with me instead?”

  
  


“Jisung. Please.”

  
  


Jisung swallowed hard,raking his hand through his messy hair “Are you sure about this?”

  
  


“I have to try.”

  
  


Seungmin wasn’t necessarily sure what he was doing all of a sudden. But his friends' outbursts were worrying him. He wanted to help Hyunjin the  _ most _ . But shit, he needed to time things. He wasn’t even sure he could do this. This was new. Something different. 

  
  


“You want the truth?” Jisung took a deep breath, eyes full of panic. 

  
  


“Please, Jisung...” 

  
  


“I hit him.”

  
  


Seungmin swallowed. 

  
  


“And hit him again. And then we fucked.”

  
  


He refused to believe that. Jisung would never harm Felix. He would never hurt him. 

  
  


“I woke up and couldn’t remember what I’d done. I tried to apologize. I tried to tell him that it wasn’t me. That I would never do that.” Jisung sniffled, running his sleeve across his nose, “at first he said it was okay. And then the next day Felix broke up with me.”

  
  


“What day was this exactly?”

  
  


“Two months ago. It was the first party of the semester. The one at that other house off campus.” Jisung inhaled sharply, “I fucked up bad. I really did.”

  
  


Seungmin frowned, “I wasn’t there. Would it be weird for me to show up there?”

  
  


“Where were you?”

  
  


“Home I think.”

  
  


“I don’t think it matters, Seungmin. Have you ever been to Aussie land?”

  
  


“No.”

  
  


“I don’t think it matters if you were there.”

  
  


“Am I messing with time?”

  
  


“Maybe.”

  
  


Seungmin frowned. 

  
  


“You’re returning time that was lost too. Time that Chan spent crying. Time that Minho didn’t have. Time that... I really don’t know what I did that night, Seungmin. I don’t know why I would have ever hit him...”

  
  


“I love you to death but If you actually hit Felix—“

  
  


“Then I’m a monster. And maybe you should let me suffer with the consequences.” Jisung inhaled again, “you don’t have to do this for me. You really don’t.”

  
  


“I want to.”

  
  


“I was drinking. Really bad. I don’t know why I’d hit him. We've been drunk a thousand times. And Felix is stronger than me he could have just hit me back.” Jisung was spiraling. 

  
  


“Jisung... I’ll find out, okay?” Seungmin pulled Jisung into a close hug. 

  
  


“I guess I won’t know, huh... if you go back, that’s two months... things could be so different.”

  
  


“I know. I know, Jisung.”

  
  


——

  
  


Seungmin was sitting in his bed, eyes shut. Why couldn’t he get to that time? What was keeping him from repairing his friends' relationship? Was it spur of the moment? Why couldn’t he go back. Seungmin has been pondering the truth for hours. 

  
  


“You thinking baby?” Changbin piled into his lap, pressing lips along his jaw, “need help with anything?”

  
  


“I’m just...thinking.”

  
  


“Thinking about what?” God Changbin’s tongue felt so good at his throat. 

  
  


“I want to go back.”

  
  


“Go back where?”

  
  


“Wanna fix things—ahhh, Changbin please. I’m gonna get hard.”

  
  


Changbin grinded himself against Seungmin’s crotch, soft hiss escaping his lips as he sucked at the skin of Seungmin’s neck. 

  
  


Clearly he wasn’t able to do the time thing right now. 

  
  


So why not fuck his boyfriend instead?

  
  


“Ch-changbin!” Seungmin was moaning out, face pressed into the pillow as Changbin slammed into his hips, hand milking him dry. If he didn’t stop soon he’d probably piss himself. 

  
  


“Huh? I can’t hear you.” He teased, kissing down Seungmin’s back as he rolled his hips, Seungmin clenching himself around the cock that was filling him, “louder?”

  
  


“Oh my god... Changbin I’m going to die if you don’t stop touching my dick!” 

  
  


Changbin just laughed, slowing his pace as his fingers paused at the head of Seungmin’s cock, pressing down a moment as he let out a long steady moan of his own. He must’ve filled his condom. His breath was erratic and Seungmin felt like he was about to pass out. 

  
  


Anytime Changbin topped him, Seungmin was on cloud fucking nine. 

  
  


“I love you, Seung.” Changbin breathed out, pulling himself out of Seungmin to collapse beside him, spraying kisses over his arm. 

  
  


“I love you too, so fucking much.” Seungmin giggled, curling up against his boyfriend, “shower?”

  
  


“Shower.”

  
  


——

  
  


Jisung hit him. 

  
  


Seungmin couldn’t get the image out of his mind. Jisung smacking Felix seemed like a cruel dream. There’s no way he’d hit Felix. Why would he hit Felix? He was drunk. They were both drunk. But clearly Felix remembered more than Jisung, maybe he would be more willing to talk about things. 

  
  


It sat in his head for hours. But he couldn’t focus hard enough. Couldn’t grasp anything. Nothing was helping. 

  
  


“I think time is telling me to back off,” Seungmin frowned, pulling his bag off of his shoulder, “I couldn’t go back there.”

  
  


“For Felix and I?” Jisung sighed, taking his seat at the booth, “maybe you have to be triggered somehow.”

  
  


“I think I should stop.” Seungmin settled beside Jisung, head laying over his bag as he placed it into the table, “I’m sorry, Jisung.”

  
  


“If it’s too much, stop. I told you that you didn’t have to do this.”

  
  


“Jisung, saving Minho was different. Saving Chan’s dog, too. Those were... very different.”

  
  


“I know—“

  
  


“What if going that far back fucks things up? I could get someone hurt. Jesus... Minho and I might as well be dead. What if changing something from so far in the past gets me killed!” 

  
  


“Seungmin…”

  
  


“I’m serious. I love you both to death... believe me, watching you smoke your lungs away is brutal. The most painful thing I’ve ever seen.”

  
  


Jisung bit his lip, eyes falling to the table in shame. The last thing Seungmin wanted to do was shame him.

  
  


“I don’t...”

  
  


“It’s okay, Seungmin.” Jisung leaned at his elbow, palm over his cheek, “why would this ability be here suddenly?”

  
  


“It’s not suddenly.”

  
  


“Maybe not... I definitely think the first time you used it was because of what happened with Bin.”

  
  


“You think I was triggered?”

  
  


“I think so. Maybe seeing Bin getting smacked around helped. Maybe seeing Minho passed out and seeing Chan cry when we’ve never seen as much as a frown from him… maybe they helped pull you to where you needed to be.”

  
  


“This is so dangerously stupid.” Seungmin frowned, “I care about everyone. I want to help you guys.”

  
  


“Priority?”

  
  


“Priority?” Seungmin arched his brow, “what do you mean?”

  
  


“Are we a priority right now?” Jisung asked, attention leaving Seungmin as Hyunjin pulled a chair from across them, taking his seat. He was early and without Minho, which was odd. 

  
  


“I thought I’d join a little early... if that’s okay.” Hyunjin smiled. 

  
  


“Where’s Minho?”

  
  


“Skipping again. I think he’s with Chan…”

  
  


“Of course he is.” Jisung shook his head, “how are you doing?”

  
  


Hyunjin seemed tense, “I’m okay.” A  _ lie _ . 

  
  


“You sure?” Seungmin frowned, watching as Hyunjin’s fingers shook as he opened his cheese stick, “You've been so off.”

  
  


“It’s just a lot. The fire. Minho. The other day... which again, I’m so sorry about, Jisung. It’s just a lot.” Hyunjin was so unsteady, nibbling at the end of the stick. 

  
  


“Don’t apologize. I should have known better. Wanna talk about it?” Jisung smiled, seeming to be just as concerned as Seungmin was. 

  
  


“You know I don’t like talking about it much but... I can’t stop having these awful thoughts.” Hyunjin admitted, setting the cheese stick down, “I can’t focus on anything.”

  
  


Priority. Maybe Hyunjin should have been a priority instead. Even if it scared him. 

  
  


“Is there anything we can do?” Jisung offered, giving Hyunjin the softest smile. 

  
  


“No, I don’t think so. Just—I wish I could erase it. I know it’s impossible and with Minho I can’t imagine how I’d be if he hadn’t been there to…” hyunjin trailed off, “I just don’t want to think about it anymore. Is there a magic trauma-be-gone?” He laughed but it was coated in stress.  _ Anxiety _ . 

  
  


“Erase it…” Seungmin whispered,  _ erase _ it? Could he do that? It made sense. Instead of trying to fix a break up he could change Hyunjin’s life... before the incident Hyunjin had been so clingy, so sweet and full of life. After? He was cold, anxious, and any touch caused him to panic. He wasn’t himself. And Seungmin really should have been focusing on Hyunjin more. Hyunjin was his friend. 

  
  


Yeah, Jisung and Felix needed one another. But this was way more important. As much as it terrified him, he had to do it. 

  
  


——

  
  


“I’m going to stop that guy from hurting Hyunjin.”

  
  


“You’re going to stop him from—Seungmin won’t he just attack someone else?” Jisung whispered, keeping his voice low as Changbin sat at Jeongin’s bed, bobbing his head to his music that played from his earbuds. 

  
  


“I’ll just have to distract that guy.”

  
  


“You’re out of your mind. He drugged him, you know that right?”

  
  


“I know.”

  
  


“So you’re going to let him do it to you or someone else?”

  
  


“I just need to distract him.”

  
  


“It’s too dangerous. I’m all for helping Hyunjin but thinking over it more, it’s so dangerous. If anything happens to you I won’t be able to help—god and the time. It would still change things. Minho saved Hyunjin that night — he took care of him. Would you stopping it destroy their relationship?”

  
  


Seungmin flopped back into his bed, Changbin taking off his headphones to sit beside them, “this is too much.” 

  
  


“What is, school?” Changbin snickered, so oblivious to everything. Good. He didn’t need to mention this to him. Especially the Hyunjin incident. 

  
  


“Yeah. Exams. Finals.” Jisung lied, patting Changbin’s stomach, “it’s just a lot to think about.”

  
  


Changbin cuddled up into Seungmin, chin at his shoulder, “you’ll do fine. Both of you. As long as you’re determined anything’s possible.”

  
  


“You sound like a motivational speaker.” Jisung teased. 

  
  


“Just trying to help!” Changbin laughed, looping an arm with Seungmin’s. 

  
  


_ Motivate. Help. Trigger.  _

  
  


——

“Seungmin, why'd you stop, are you okay?”

  
  


Seungmin couldn’t believe it. He was there. He was—

  
  


“Seung?” Changbin whined, moving his hips. Fuck. He realized that this was where he’d been when it happened. And fuck they had just started. 

  
  


“I—can you excuse me, I need to…”

  
  


“Seriously?” Changbin huffed, sliding himself upright, “Seungmin, we just started…”

  
  


“I know I just— love you, okay?” Seungmin pressed a quick kiss to Changbin’s pouty lips before sliding himself off of the bed, tugging his pants back up. He was hard. And  _ really _ horny. But he didn’t have time for this. He had to get to Hyunjin. 

  
  


“Where are you going?” Changbin sighed. 

  
  


“I forgot to do something. It’s important. I promise I’ll be back…”

  
  


“Seungmin!” Changbin whined again. 

  
  


“I promise. Give me ten minutes.”

  
  


The party was as loud as he remembered. As busy, too. Seungmin could see Jisung alone off to the side, cigarette between his lips, bags at his eyes. As much as he wanted to help Felix and Jisung, he really needed to focus on Hyunjin. 

  
  


Minho. 

  
  


“Minho, have you seen Hyunjin?” Seungmin asked, pushing the hair off of his face. He was so sweaty. 

  
  


“Ah...no?” Minho laughed, drink in hand, “why?”

  
  


“Come find him with me.” He needed Minho. If he could somehow keep them together, he’d do anything. Anything for them. 

  
  


Seungmin was gasping for air, eyes darting around. He had to find him. 

  
  


“Seung, do you have any idea where he went?” Minho was laughing it off. He had no idea how serious this was. 

  
  


“Just follow me. We have to find him!”

  
  


Minho nodded, seeming extremely annoyed with how Seungmin pulled him along. 

  
  


Minho. Minho could find Hyunjin. They could still be together. He just had to find Hyunjin. Fuck. 

  
  


And like clockwork, there he was. Standing way too close to a man who was getting way too handsy. Hyunjin looked tired, leaning against the doorframe and shaking his head as the man whispered in his ear. 

  
  


That had to be him. It had to be. 

  
  


“Dude,what the fuck… ” Minho growled in annoyance as he shoved his drink into Seungmin’s chest, he must have seen it too. “Hey back off.” Minho approached quickly, pushing the guy away from Hyunjin who just seemed to stumble forwards. 

  
  


Okay. This was easier than he thought. Good. Crisis averted —-

  
  


“Oh excuse me! I didn’t see you there!” Someone had bumped into Seungmin.

  
  


_ Oh _ .

  
  


Crisis not averted. Seungmin felt  _ dizzy _ . He watched as Minho crouched down at the door with Hyunjin, patting his face and taking care of him well enough. Good. That was good. 

  
  


But  _ this _ wasn’t good. 

  
  


Seungmin being held up by the man who bumped him wasn’t good. And him being dragged off while Minho was talking to Hyunjin wasn’t good. 

  
  


_ Fuck _ . 

  
  


This wasn’t good. 

  
  


——

  
  


The liquor that bounced off of the man’s lips was revolting. The way his hands had made their way up Seungmin’s shirt was  _ just _ as terrible. 

  
  


He didn’t realize that  _ this _ was the man. He thought it was the other guy. But no, it was this guy. He had drugged Seungmin. He poked him with a fucking needle. He should have known. No, he couldn’t have known. The guy was never caught. They never caught him. Would they catch him?

  
  


Seungmin blocked out every disgusting name the man was calling him as his lips moved to his throat. He wanted to get up. He wanted to poof back to his time. But he wasn’t. He was just laying there, eyes darting around the room for escape as his heart raced. 

  
  


_ Hyunjin _ . This is what Hyunjin went through. Panic was settling in Seungmin’s stomach. The panic. He understood the panic that Hyunjin felt. He couldn’t move. Couldn’t scream. His words were whimpers and he  _ really _ didn’t want this. He really didn’t. He was panicking. 

  
  


Part of him really should have let it go. He was a fool to think he could save Hyunjin without repercussions. Of course he would have to take the pain for him. Just like the dog. He had felt the pain for days after Chan’s dog. And this? This would last a lifetime. Would Seungmin ever be able to recover?! Hyunjin hadn't?! 

  
  


Seungmin’s tears were hot. And he could feel the hand moving down to his waistband. And this wasn’t real. He wanted to scream. Exit.  _ Leave _ . 

  
  


“Get the fuck off of him!”

  
  


Some sort of angel. Some sort of  _ being _ had come to his rescue. Jesus Christ, he was shaking. And as the man on top of him was pushed against the wall he felt relief. Just relief. 

  
  


Changbin. 

  
  


“You never came back.” Changbin huffed before pulling the man away from the bed and to the ground, “I knew something was up…”

  
  


How the fuck did he find him? 

  
  


“Fucking Hyunjin saw him grab you.” Changbin was so mad. “Couldn’t say anything because he was so high off his mind.” Changbin growled as he threw a punch into the man’s jaw. 

  
  


The man surprisingly wasn’t fighting back. 

  
  


Seungmin just turned his head, shaking as Changbin hit that man more. 

  
  


No wait. He was hitting him too much. 

  
  


“Bin, stop.” Seungmin whimpered, reaching his arm out, trying to grab at Changbin. To stop him. 

  
  


But Changbin kept hitting him. Over and over. This was bad. This wasn’t okay. Yeah, he was the guy who had assaulted Hyunjin all that time ago. And yeah, he tried to do the same to Seungmin. But Changbin beating him to death wasn’t in Seungmin’s plans. He couldn’t lose Changbin. Not at all. That could not be the repercussion for this.  _ Please _ . 

  
  


“Bin please!”

  
  


Changbin huffed, breath heavy as he pulled himself up, gaze meeting Seungmin’s. He had blood at his own jaw, spray from the other man’s beaten mouth. He looked wild. But at least the man lying on the carpet was coughing, rolling to his side. 

  
  


“What the fuck is going on!?”  _ Felix _ . Felix and a bunch of other people had gathered at the door. Some girl rushed in, grabbing at the man on the floor. 

  
  


“He… ” Seungmin felt breathless, eyes fluttering at the scene. 

  
  


“He was on top of him.” Changbin spat, making his way back to Seungmin, a soothing hand running through his hair, “call an ambulance.”

  
  


“You’re right, I am you fucking prick!” The girl called out on the ground, causing Changbin to turn with a scowl. 

  
  


Seungmin knew that scow well, “It’s not for him. It’s for my fucking boyfriend, who he fucking drugged and tried to—“

  
  


——

  
  


Seungmin felt his head spin. He wanted to vomit the minute he opened his eyes. He was in his bed, Changbin settled against him. Jisung sitting at the desk. Just as he’d left. 

  
  


“Minnie, what’s wrong?” Changbin asked, running his fingers along Seungmin’s face, “you okay?” He was so worried about Changbin. But he was here. Changbin hadn’t gotten in trouble? He was here. 

  
  


“I…” he looked at Jisung with wide eyes, the younger giving him a look that told him he knew. Or at least, he knew enough. He remembered then. Maybe his trip hadn’t changed much. God, he hoped it hadn’t. 

  
  


Thankfully, not much was different. Felix and Jisung still avoided one another, and Minho and Hyunjin were thankfully still together. 

  
  


Hyunjin. He was different. 

  
  


Hyunjin wasn’t shaky. He was bright again, and just as weird as he used to be. He was so clingy. He hung on Jisung all the time again, let Chan elbow him in the side. He was okay. 

  
  


“Seungmin, are you okay?” Jisung asked, eyes settled on his untouched food. 

  
  


“I’m okay.” Seungmin whispered back, hands trembling. Why was he trembling so much?

  
  


“You’ve been on edge all day...is it because of?”

  
  


Ah. He was the anxious one now. Maybe he hadn’t taken Hyunjin’s experience that night, but he had definitely taken his anxiety. 

  
  


“I’m okay. Just—I keep thinking about the time.” He spoke, rubbing at his arm, “you know.”

  
  


“Wanna talk about it in private? It doesn’t look like you changed what happened with Felix and I?” His voice was low, too low for the booth table around to hear. 

  
  


Seungmin shifted uncomfortably, “Hyunjin. I’ll tell you later. I can’t do it here.”

  
  


“I’m worried about you…” Jisung frowned. 

  
  


“I’m okay. Just later.” He wasn’t okay. He wasn’t okay at all. 

  
  


——

“Hyunjin—Jesus Christ, Seungmin.”

  
  


“It’s okay. He’s okay. They’re still together and he’s okay.”

“But you aren’t!”

  
  


“He didn’t touch me. That guy didn’t do anything to me and he’s in jail and—“

  
  


“He could have!?”

  
  


“But he didn’t.” Seungmin sighed, “I think I got Hyunjin’s anxiety from it. He used to be just like this. Shaky and anxious and I think that’s what came back with me.”

  
  


“Go fix it.” Jisungcommanded, keeping his distance since Seungmin had taken the fear of being touched, “go change it back.”

  
  


“No, I’m not doing that to Hyunjin.”

  
  


“I didn’t mean—“ Jisung took a deep breath, “you came back and haven’t really been here for the past month. You’ve been so terrified of people touching you unless they’re Bin. You’ve been so off and I’m worried about you.”

  
  


“I’m fine. I promise.” Seungmin wasn’t sure he was fine. But he wasn’t about to redo what happened. Hyunjin didn’t deserve to go back to that anxiety. Not the anxiety Seungmin was feeling. 

  
  


“No more time travel. Not if this is what happens as a result.” Jisung frowned, “I shouldn’t have encouraged you. I shouldn’t have called you a superhero—“

  
  


“I still saved Minho?”

  
  


“Yeah. You saved him and you still saved Chan’s dog.”

  
  


“This time thing is really messy. I just shouldn’t jump too far back.” Seungmin frowned, “Jisung. I am seriously fine. I’ll be okay with some time. I promise. When I came back from getting hit by that car it took days. I’ll be okay.”

  
  


“No more. I thought that—I didn’t know that you time jumped and helped Hyunjin like that. Not like that.”

  
  


“You wouldn’t remember it, it never happened to him.” Seungmin sighed, “every time I change something you won’t remember the original you know?”

  
  


“Please, no more. I can’t lose you to something dumb.”

  
  


“I’m okay.”

  
  


“You’re not. Now that I know you jumped through time and it caused you to get hurt I—Seungmin please. No more.”

  
  


Seungmin nodded, “I’ll stop.”

  
  


Jisung frowned, “I love you, please don’t do it again.”

  
  


——

  
  


Seungmin hated the knotted feeling he had now. Every time a man he didn’t know came near him he’d feel a slight panic in his chest. In a way, Seungmin was glad he went back. He was glad he helped his friend. If this was how Hyunjin felt, the time jump was worth it. Saving Hyunjin from this misery had been worth it. But it hurt. He wanted this feeling to fade. Badly. 

  
  


“When are you going to tell me what happened that night, Seungmin?” Changbin. Changbin had grown so worried since the incident. 

  
  


“Nothing happened.”

  
  


“Cut the shit, Seungmin. First Minho, then Chan’s dog? With your anxiety how the hell did you save Minho? And how did you know about Chan’s dog and the hit and run?”

  
  


“Changbin... it’s not important.” He couldn’t tell him. He couldn’t. 

  
  


“Why won’t you tell me? You’ve been so shaky since that night and suddenly you’re in the  _ know _ about things and you’re putting yourself into dangerous situations?”

  
  


“Changbin, it’s too much.”

  
  


“I’m all ears, Minnie. Please.” Changbin held his hands, pressing soft kisses to his knuckles that made Seungmin melt, “tell me.”

  
  


Seungmin shook his head.  _ No _ . That was a bad idea. 

  
  


“Fine. I’ll drop it, Seungmin.” Changbin sighed. Seungmin knew he wouldn’t. But maybe he could tell that Seungmin was shaking. That Seungmin really didn’t want to discuss this. Not now. “I love you. I love you so much, okay?”

  
  


Seungmin nodded with a gulp, “I love you too, Bin.”

  
  


——

  
  


“Seungmin.”

  
  


Seungmin hated the anxiety. Hated jumping at the voice he knew well. A voice he’d missed. 

  
  


“Felix?”

  
  


Seungmin watched as Felix settled across from him in the study room, keeping his hands from Seungmin as he examined him closely, “how long?”

  
  


Seungmin didn’t understand. 

  
  


“How long?”

  
  


Seungmin took a deep breath, “how long for what, Felix?”

  
  


“How long have you been changing time?”

  
  


Seungmin’s eyes widened in shock. What? 

  
  


“When did it start?”

  
  


“I—”

  
  


“Seungmin, I need you to work with me.”

  
  


“How do you even know about—“

  
  


“Remember when you and Minho were upstairs? Did you think you were ever able to pull Minho out alone?” Felix was whispering, eyes serious. 

  
  


“The fire?”

  
  


“Yes. You both died that day.”

  
  


Seungmin gripped the end of his chair tight. What? 

  
  


“I died?”

  
  


“Yeah. Both of you died in that fire when the roof collapsed. You couldn’t hold Minho. He was too heavy for you. You didn’t change that part. I did.”

  
  


“How, i'm the one who—“

  
  


“I don’t know. I didn’t know that you were able to do that. I was going upstairs to get Minho and you were there. I didn’t know you would be there again.”

  
  


“I did that? I’m the one who—“

  
  


“I took time back. You just  _ used _ it.”

  
  


Seungmin took a deeper breath. So he had died that day. Him and Minho died. How long before Felix fixed it? Wait, Felix could fix time too!?

  
  


“Felix, what the hell happened?”

  
  


“You know what happened.”

  
  


“Why are you saying this now. Why are you—“

  
  


“Because you messed with time again.” Felix moved his hand to Seungmin’s leg. 

  
  


Oh. 

  
  


Seungmin looked away, Felix’s fingers on his thigh causing his head to spin. He wanted to push him away so badly. 

  
  


“You changed something and now you’re struggling with it.”

  
  


“That’s how it—“

  
  


“I know.”

  
  


“Felix, how long have you—“

  
  


“Why did you go back and change what happened to Hyunjin?”

  
  


Seungmin swatted Felix’s hand away, “seriously?” So Felix knew. He knew that Hyunjin was assaulted?!

  
  


Felix nodded. 

  
  


“He was—you know why I had to change it.”

  
  


“I know you wanted to help but you realize that jumping has consequences? You’re lucky you’re alive.”

  
  


“Hyunjin is happy now.”

  
  


“Are you planning on jumping to save Jisung and me?”

  
  


Seungmin blinked, “Felix I—“

  
  


“I know you think you know what happened. I know Jisung told you.”

  
  


Was it a lie? What was honestly fucking happening?!

  
  


“Don’t. Don’t try to fix us.”

  
  


“Felix why would I—”

  
  


“I already tried. Multiple times.” Felix was smiling, but there was sadness laced in his eyes, “I tried to save us. And the first time I jumped what happened to Hyunjin was the result.”

  
  


Seungmin winced. 

  
  


“The second time, I think someone ended up getting shot over it. And the third time—the fire happened, I was going to stop trying once you and Minho died but I needed to save you.”

  
  


“You’ve been doing this for awhile?” Seungmin shuddered at that. 

  
  


“My actions caused bad things to happen to people I loved. I tried to fix the Hyunjin thing but time wouldn’t let me revisit. I kept jumping to different times but I couldn’t fix it. I couldn’t fix Jisung and I either.”

  
  


“What really happened?” Seungmin asked breathlessly, “why did you two break up?”

  
  


Felix sighed, “Jisung hit me.” The truth hurt. Jisung would never but Felix wouldn't lie. “It was an accident and I knew that but…” Felix bit his lip, “I hit him back harder.”

  
  


“You did?” Seungmin’s insides tightened. He wanted to leave. He didn’t want to hear this. But he had to. 

  
  


“Yeah, we were both drunk and it was  _ not _ good. We kept hurting each other and we both said really horrible shit to one another.”

  
  


“But it was an accident?”

  
  


Felix shook his head, “Yeah, but we said really vile things. I broke up with him the next day.”

  
  


“You clearly miss him—“

  
  


“We weren’t going to work. No matter how many times I tried to change it, you guys got hurt as a result. Random people kept getting hurt. It’s better if we just don’t.”

  
  


“You’re both miserable. Let me fix it. I can. I have time—“

  
  


“Can you keep tabs on everyone? Can you ensure that all of your friends won’t get hurt because of you? Believe me, it’s best if we stay apart.”

  
  


Seungmin frowned, “Felix, Jisung would understand. Just tell him—“

  
  


“He won’t. And I won’t. We said... the things we said were just too vile. I can’t repeat them. I never will.” Felix was so hurt, “I've jumped around time for years. Do you think what happened with Changbin was random?”

  
  


Seungmin stilled, “what are you—“

  
  


“Me jumping caused that asshole to nearly kill him. I’m glad you were able to stop it but I know I caused it. Because months later they would have been fine together. Everything was fine until I went fucking with time.”

  
  


“He was abusive—“

  
  


“Only because I made him that way. I don’t know why or how but when I jumped that man became a monster. Jumping is bad. It might feel great but it’s not. You saved Chan’s dog right? Did you know miles away another car slammed into a preschool because of it? It didn’t happen originally.” Seungmin shook his head as Felix spoke, “three kids were seriously injured.“

  
  


“Stop.”

  
  


Felix gave Seungmin a softer look, “I haven’t jumped since the fire. I suggest you stop too—“

  
  


Seungmin parted his lips to speak as the door swung open, Chan’s eyes wide and red. The same look Seungmin remembered when Chan’s dog had passed away. 

  
  


“Why won’t you answer your fucking phones?!” Seungmin watched Chan in worry, reaching for his phone to see the mass of missed calls and messages. “Jeongin’s mom is in the hospital. And Jeongin is...“ Chan glanced at Felix, giving him a sullen look, “it’s not good.”

  
  


“What happened to him?” Felix asked, eyes shaky. 

  
  


“He’s...” Chan’s eyes said it all, “his dad—“

  
  


Seungmin didn’t need the rest. He didn’t need it. And he didn’t heed Felix’s warning about jumping. He didn’t need to. 

  
  


Fuck time. 

  
  


——

  
  


Why was Seungmin in a random car on the highway? Why was he being beeped at? Seungmin didn’t drive? He knew the basics but he—

  
  


_ Beep. Beep.  _

  
  


Seungmin adjusted the mirror in the car, breath frantic as he caught the face of the driver behind him in the mirror. Oh fuck. 

  
  


Jeongin’s father. He was settled right behind him. He was right there. He looked so much younger. Jesus Christ what time period was this!? 

  
  


Seungmin got beeped at again, his friends father holding both arms up in anger behind. 

  
  


Jeongin’s dad. His dad must have—wait. This night. Was this the night that he ran that family off the road?! Seungmin was shaking, gripping the steering wheel tightly. 

  
  


It was, wasn’t it? 

  
  


Seungmin glanced back again. It had to be that night. The car wreck. The car wreck that took the lives of that family because of Jeongin’s father—shit. 

  
  


What was Seungmin going to do here? 

  
  


He pushed the gas. He moved fast, steady in front of the monster behind him. It wasn’t like Jeongin’s dad could go around him like this. They were on an overpass anyways. He was speeding. Jeongin’s dad was too, after all he did end up killing a family that night. A family Seungmin was about to save. 

  
  


Fuck. 

  
  


But once he got onto the highway...what was he supposed to do? He knew it was  _ this _ night. How could he save that family? 

  
  


Shit. He didn’t have time. He didn’t have time. He needed to end this before he lost traction. 

  
  


Seungmin wasn’t sure why he did it. But he smashed on the brakes of the car he was in. And he could hear the horrific sound of collision behind him. 

  
  


And the horror of the vehicle he was in smashing into the concrete before sliding off the overpass. And he could see the street below. He panicked internally. 

  
  


He was going to—

  
  


And it was all so fast that he didn’t have time to breathe as he pulled himself up from his book, chest tight and breath rapid as people around the study room shot him annoyed looks. 

  
  


It was so fast. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t move. 

  
  


His phone buzzed. 

  
  


Seungmin clutched his chest, trying to keep it together as he read his messages. 

  
  


He wish he hadn’t. 

  
  


——

  
  


Seungmin shouldn’t have gone back. 

  
  


He shouldn’t have done this. He knew there would be repercussions. Apparently the soreness and headache from the crash weren’t enough punishment this time. 

  
  


He was in the hospital. Not for himself. Not for himself at all. He was panting, watching his group of friends who crowded the waiting room. 

  
  


Chan was on the phone, hand in his hair and stress all across his features. Minho and Hyunjin were settled with Changbin, faces blank and void of anything that Seungmin could pick out. 

  
  


_ Jeongin _ . He was there, holding someone else’s hand. He looked fine. No bruises. No bandages. Seungmin could feel the tears building in his eyes. Jeongin was safe. He was okay and alive. He was—

  
  


Jeongin was holding Felix’s hand. Felix was not fine. Felix was not okay. 

  
  


Dread struck. It overpowered the good feeling of seeing Jeongin. 

  
  


_ No.  _

  
  


Seungmin approached slowly, body on fire from the crash he just suffered. He could see it on their faces now. He could see it. And he knew. He knew that only six of them being there was a sign. The absolute worst thing had occurred. 

  
  


_ Jisung.  _

  
  


“Where is he?” Seungmin felt the anxiety in his chest, hand reaching up to clasp at his collar. He knew. He knew. 

  
  


Felix’s eyes met his slowly, “Seungmin...”

  
  


“Where is Jisung?” Seungmin’s bottom lip quivered. He knew where jisung was. He wasn’t sure why he was asking Felix. 

  
  


Felix’s jaw was tight, “what have you done?”

  
  


Seungmin stilled, Jeongin’s eyes meeting him in confusion. 

  
  


“You jumped, didn’t you!” 

  
  


Pain rung through Seungmin’s broken form as Felix grabbed him by the collar, forcing him into the wall closest to them, slamming him hard enough to knock the air from his lungs. 

  
  


“What did you do!” Felix was outraged. He was so mad. He was so—

  
  


“Let him go!” Changbin. No. Not Changbin. Changbin would—

  
  


“He’s dead because of you!” Felix screamed, inching away from Seungmin to avoid Changbin’s rage, “what did you do? What was so fucking important that you had to jump time and get Jisung killed!”

  
  


Hearing it out loud had Seungmin crumbling. Jisung was gone. He was dead. He wasn’t there anymore. 

  
  


“I tried,” Seungmin’s eyes met Felixs’, body trembling at just how  _ hurt _ Felix was. His face was red, drowned in tears and distress, “I tried to jump to save him. But I couldn’t. I can’t go back. I can’t save him, Seungmin... what did you do!”

  
  


Changbin was at Seungmin’s side, helping Seungmin upright. 

  
  


His heart was twisted. He felt tragically hurt. He wasn’t sure what to do with this horrific feeling in his stomach. He wanted to die. He wanted so badly to—

  
  


“Jeongin.”

  
  


Felix tilted his head in confusion, “why?”

  
  


Felix didn’t know?

  
  


“His dad killed him, Felix.”

  
  


“What?!” Changbin was confused. He was so confused, “what are you two on?”

  
  


“I jumped because he died. He was dead, Felix...” Seungmin sobbed out, Felix’s expression faltering as he turned to the poor boy sitting in the waiting room chair, mouth parted in his own confusion. 

  
  


“I jumped to save him from his father...”

  
  


“My father died, Seungmin...” Jeongin pulled off of the chair, watching Seungmin with hurt eyes. 

  
  


“I know... I went back and killed him.” Seungmin choked out, pain ringing throughout his body. 

  
  


“You... you took his father's life and now—“

  
  


Seungmin couldn’t hear him finish. He couldn’t. He literally couldn’t. Not only did it sting too much to hear. But he wasn’t there anymore. He wasn’t in the hospital. He was outside of a convenience store. 

  
  


He wasn’t sobbing, though he felt miserable as he looked inside of the store.  _ Jisung _ . He could see Jisung. He saw him. He was right there, waiting in line with a coke and a candy bar. He was just  _ standing _ there. 

  
  


Seungmin glanced behind his shoulder before pulling the door open slowly, glancing around the dingy store that was just miles from the campus. They went here all the time for snacks. 

  
  


Is this where he died? 

  
  


“Seungmin!” Jisung beamed, saving Seungmin over with a bright smile. 

  
  


Seungmin took a moment before meeting his friend, standing close as his eyes darted around the store. He didn’t know how Jisung had died. But now he was getting a horrible feeling about this store. What had happened? Was he hit by a car on the way back? A bus? What happened—

  
  


Seungmin had never felt his heart race more. He heard it, the warning shot to the light above their heads. He dragged Jisung down quickly to the ground as a man in a face mask stormed around, gun pointed right at the clerk. 

  
  


He could save Jisung. He wasn’t sure what had happened the first time, but he’d keep him down. Keep him safe. 

  
  


Jisung was panicking, breath wild as he clung to Seungmin. 

  
  


Ah shit. Seungmin felt the anxiety creeping up. The Hyunjin incident. It was still lingering. He wanted to push his friend away. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t do that. 

  
  


“Stay calm, please...” Seungmin whimpered as he glanced at the man waving the gun. 

  
  


What happened last time? 

  
  


Ah. Jisung was scrambling. He was trying to run away. He was trying to get out of there. 

  
  


That’s what happened, right? He ran. And this man must have shot him. That’s what happened, right?

  
  


Seungmin couldn’t let that happen. Not here. He pushed Jisung down, the younger fighting him until he managed to crawl away. 

  
  


_ No _ . 

  
  


“Jisung stop!” Seungmin screamed as Jisung was on his feet, eyes locked with the man who had turned the gun on him. 

  
  


“Get the fuck back down!” The man commanded, Jisung’s eyes wide and body trembling. 

  
  


Jisung was going to  _ run _ . 

  
  


Seungmin got up as fast as he could, tackling the man into the counter as Jisung took off towards the door, the gun ringing in his ears as the sharp pain from the crash caused him to cry out in distress. 

  
  


He wasn’t stronger than this man. 

  
  


He knew that. 

  
  


Jisung turned, eyes wide, “Seungmin!”

  
  


“Go!” He screamed back as the man shoved him to the ground, gun pointed right at him. 

  
  


Seungmin had never seen a gun in real life. He’d never seen one so close. He’d never shot one. 

  
  


But he’d been shot by one. He could feel it. He could feel the bullet burn right through his chest. 

  
  


And then he could feel another one. He wasn’t sure where that one went. He could feel his back spasm and his head pound. 

  
  


Seungmin hit the floor hard, maybe too hard. He couldn’t register. He saw the man above curse out before snatching money from the terrified clerk, stepping right around Seungmin and shoving poor Jisung into the chips stand. 

  
  


Jisung  _ didn’t _ leave him behind. 

  
  


“Seungmin!”

  
  


Seungmin’s ears rang, vision blurry. Where had he been shot?

  
  


Jisung was at his side, panicked eyes staring at him as his hands pressed against him. He wasn’t even sure where Jisung was pressing. 

  
  


He couldn’t feel much of anything besides his foggy headache. 

  
  


“Seungmin don’t do this!”

  
  


When would he jump back?

  
  


“Seungmin! Please stay with me!” Jisung was sobbing bitterly, the clerk rushing to Seungmin with a rag as he yelled into his phone for an ambulance and the police. 

  
  


When would he jump back to his own time?

  
  


“Seungmin look at me!” Jisung was a mess over him. Seungmin could barely make him out as the room got darker and darker. 

  
  


_ Why wasn’t he jumping back? _

  
  


Jisung was so panicked, blood all over his hoodie and hands as he pressed against Seungmin. 

  
  


Seungmin couldn’t move. He couldn’t feel anything. And he wasn’t waking up. He knew he wasn’t going to jump back. He could feel it. 

  
  


That was okay. 

  
  


He knew he’d saved Jisung. So he was okay. Jisung was okay. Jeongin was okay. Minho was okay. They were all very much alive. 

  
  


Hyunjin wasn’t an assault victim anymore. That was great. That was amazing. Seungmin had changed his life. 

  
  


Felix would be upset with him, but he was okay. And he’d have Jisung back. Maybe they’d get back together. He hoped so. 

  
  


Changbin and Chan were okay. They would be okay. Chan would take care of Changbin. They all would. He knew that. 

  
  


“Felix loves you... please talk to Felix.” Seungmin was choking. He was choking on blood. He could see the agony on Jisung’s face as the lights around them dimmed more. 

  
  


They’d be okay. They had each other. They would all be fine. He knew they would. 

  
  


“Seungmin, no...”

  
  


Seungmin forced what he hoped was a smile, his lights completely fading as he felt calmness rush over him. They’d be okay. His friends would all be okay. That’s all he wanted. That’s all he’d ever wanted for them. 

  
  


Seungmin’s time was fleeting. 

  
  


His time was just a concept. 

  
  


His time wasn’t real anymore. 

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, if you enjoyed please leave kudos and comments are always appreciated and I respond to every single one! 
> 
> I’m so sorry that our main protagonist doesn’t make it in the end. He just wanted his friends to be safe, but he ultimately paid the ultimate sacrifice in the end. Seungmin best boy! 💛
> 
> Also: I don’t know why on earth I have to do this but please do not reupload my work under any circumstances. If you’d like to for any reason please message me first, do not reupload my work. If you see my works on wattpad please report them, I will never grant permission for wattpad.  
> [Twitter](https://mobile.twitter.com/skzorcism)  
> [Curious Cat](https://curiouscat.me/Str4y)


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